Develop, improve, assess and lead impact
Expert consultancy for understanding and enhancing impact
How I can help your work be more impactful?
Strategy
Become a more impact-focused organisation by reviewing your organisational structure, leadership, and data practices. I can collaborate with you to conduct an impact assessment, identify areas for improvement, and develop strategic implementation plans that embed research impact into your work.
Assessing impact
I can help you assess the impact of any initiative, project, programme, or strategy through a comprehensive impact assessment. Additionally, I can act as an independent impact assessor, utilising the leadership and research impact methodologies I have refined over the last 15 years.
Data improvement
Do you feel that your data isn't effectively helping you tell your impact story? I can conduct a thorough impact assessment and identify areas for improvement. Collaborating with your team, I can help build better data structures that enhance your research impact. By leveraging my expertise in evaluation and leadership, you can avoid wasting money on systems that aren't designed to capture and report on complex changes effectively.
Theory of change development
I have collaborated with hundreds of organisations to develop theories of change that enhance strategy, large and small programmes, whole systems, and research impact. Through interactive and inclusive workshops, my approach to theory of change is both accessible and tested in real-world settings, fostering effective leadership in driving meaningful change.
Capacity building and training
Looking to enhance your thinking, skills, and approaches regarding impact assessment? I provide a variety of one-off or more intensive training courses focused on leadership and maximising research impact. Here’s what participants say about my training:
“I'm going to use this approach at the next working group for the programme so that we can collaboratively start to map out our impact – fantastic session and I truly appreciate you offering this, huge thanks!”
Mentoring
It can be difficult leading on impact, or being the only one within an organisation responsible for developing and supporting impact. That's why I act as a mentor to people at all levels within large and small organisations, acting as a sounding board, offering advice based on my many years experience, and helping solve data challenges together.
Building on expertise and real world application
About Sarah
Sarah Morton is an internationally recognized expert in impact assessment and evidence use, celebrated for her highly cited research impact and her practical, accessible approaches to understanding complex change. With over three decades of experience across the public sector, charities, and universities, she has helped organizations enhance their impact by making better use of data, developing meaningful theories of change, and crafting credible, actionable stories about the difference they make. Sarah combines deep academic expertise with hands-on, real-world experience, providing leadership to teams as they navigate complexity, learn as they progress, and utilize evidence to improve outcomes.
Much of this work was developed as:
• Co-Founder and Director of Matter of Focus (2017–2025), assisting governments, charities, and universities in understanding, improving, and tracking their impact.
• Knowledge Exchange Specialist at the University of Edinburgh (2001–2017), where she led pioneering work on translating research into policy and practice, advised major UK research programs, and published influential research on evidence use and impact.